Caffeine Addictions

There can be addictions to legal and illegal substances. Caffeine is an addiction that makes individuals feel alert, awake, and active. Alcohol and nicotine are addicting drugs that release chemicals. Addictions are cravings for certain feelings or substances. You can almost feel dependent on the thing you are addicted to. I read that people who are stressed or in distress are more likely to use drugs. This means these individuals are more likely to have addictions. There can be positive and negative addictions. I feel as if I am sometimes dependent on coffee. It is a psychoactive stimulant. I found that, "A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior" (https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/psychoactive_drug.htm). Before early morning classes, I always feel like it is necessary to get a coffee in order to pay attention. I also feel like it wakes me up. A psychoactive drug is a chemical substance that alters mood and behavior. I never saw my need for coffee as an addiction. After looking more into this, I learned about caffeine withdrawals. An article I read from Health Line said, "Caffeine withdrawal can occur in anyone who regularly consumes caffeine and then abruptly discontinues its use. Common symptoms include headache, fatigue, low energy, irritability, anxiety, poor concentration, depressed mood and tremors, which can last anywhere from two to nine days" (Kuala 2018). I never knew how much caffeine can really alter your mood. All of this information was extremely interesting to me.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms#section2

http://www.collegehumor.com/post/7040668/the-7-stages-of-becoming-a-coffee-addict

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_0e0X_7MnQ